Small steps in the right direction

(Scuderia Ferrari SpA via Twitter)

Ferrari team boss Marco Mattiacci believes that his team are making steady progress as the Italian team attempt to bounce back from a difficult start to the 2014 Formula One season which has seen the outfit score just one podium finish which came at the Chinese Grand Prix in April which was Mattiacci's first Grand Prix in charge of the Italian team after replacing Stefano Domenicali.

Ferrari are currently third in the Constructors championship on 98 point's, just eleven ahead of the Sahara Force India F1 Team as the Formula One circus prepares to head to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone next weekend. 

Last time out at the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, Fernando Alonso finished the race in fifth place, 1.2 second's behind former team mate Williams Martini Racing's Felipe Massa after starting the Grand Prix from 4th place on the grid. Following the race the Spaniard told the media that he is now switching focus to 2015 as he is now 86 point's behind championship leader, Mercedes Nico Rosberg.

Kimi Raikkonen had a difficult weekend in the sister Ferrari as the Finn managed to finish the Grand Prix in 10th place and is down in 12th place in the Driver's championship on 19 point's following a difficult return to the Prancing Horse for the 2007 word champion. Following the Austrian Grand Prix the Iceman admitted to be frustrated with the lack of performance from the F14-T.

Speaking about the Austrian Grand Prix, Mattiacci said:

'Unfortunately, we were unable to demonstrate that [small step] with Kimi, who did not have an easy time on this circuit, but we are sure that with the progressive improvement of the car he too will be able to show what he's capable of.  Fernando could not have done any better today. He managed to maintain a great pace for the whole race, at times even quicker than the leaders and this must serve as an incentive to continue developing the F14 T. Overall the gaps are coming down and the number of teams fighting it out behind the frontrunners is increasing. So our aim is to exploit all our potential to be at the front of the pursuing group.'

© Ben Johnston 2014